Bring me to a Time and Place Safe to You
by KaiaLuna
Summary: A spell for one takes a second life. A last swirl of magic clung to the room until she opened the door and was hurled back in time with no memory of the future she lived in. Lost to the magic of time they disappeared from life and reappeared again and again in different years attached to one man's life. Time and fate playing games with their lives in a spell gone wrong or has it?
1. Chapter 1

He was watching her laugh with Ginny and only vaguely noted his friend coming to sit by him.

"She'll go soon."

He nodded, "She comes back, tell me she comes back mate."

Remus shook his head, "Wish I could." His voice was sad, cracking with pain.

"Can't we stop it?"

"Don't even know when or how she goes."

Sirius finally turned to stare his friend in the eyes, "How do I lose her again?" The pain in his chest was almost more than he could breathe through.

Remus sighed but said nothing, what could he say? He wished he could stop the future and change the past but mostly he wished they could keep the past and ensure the future they dreamed for. "Don't lose hope." He finally told Sirius. "All we can do is hope." They had to believe she'd return to them, she couldn't have… no, he refused to think that. It had been so hard back then and now, knowing so much more, having loved her so much longer, it was impossible.

"You two alright?" Tonks asked as she sat leaning against her husband.

"Sure." Remus slung an arm around her shoulders and tucked her closer into his body, "Just reminiscing."

She nodded and snuggled further into his side, he and Sirius had been thinking a lot about the past recently.

"She's not much younger than me you know." Tonks broke the silence again a few minutes later as she saw Sirius watching the beautiful young witch.

"Huh?" Both men turned to her and her hair went pale pink as though in a blush.

"I, maybe, thought, well, you watch her, a lot and um, well, she's not much younger than me, a few years is all, it's not to young if its what's holding you back."

"She's eight years younger than you which is eighteen years younger than me." Sirius huffed.

"So you do like her then?" Tonk's hair went from the pale pink to vibrant purple.

Sirius looked away with a quiet curse, "Shove off." He growled when she went to speak again. He got up and stormed away.

Remus sighed, "Please Dora, let it alone." He headed his matchmaking wife off as he saw the cogs in her mind spinning.

She huffed, "Well you're happy with me aren't you?"

He gave her a small smile, "You are the love of my life Dora but please, I beg you, let Sirius alone, play matchmaker with someone else, he's not up for it."

She huffed, "Didn't I do good with Ron? Everyone was convinced he and Hermione were meant to be but I knew his secret! Look at him and Neville." She smiled at the two men, both awkward and shy, their new relationship still leaving them with a glow and their newly revealed sexual preference still being settled into. "Just look at Luna and that Slytherin, I got her and Theo Nott together didn't I? It's a gift, I see true love, just like I saw it in you even if you were too stubborn to accept it for so long."

Remus sighed, "Please Dora. Please." She didn't know how right she was, Hermione was the love of Sirius Black's life, losing her had nearly destroyed him, it was why he'd been ready to believe Sirius had betrayed Lily and James, he hadn't been the same after she disappeared. She had been everything to him, she still was and he was about to lose her again and they could only pray her disappearance had been her return to this time and not her death.

Tonks looked at the swirling emotions in her husbands eyes and knew there were secrets there, slowly she nodded, Hermione and Sirius would be perfect together, she'd ground him and he'd lighten her but for Remus she wouldn't mettle, for now anyways.

Hermione laughed again and tossed the swatch of material at Harry, "You're nutters."

Harry laughed as well and shrugged, "Come on, you know you want to too!"

She got an evil glint in her eye as she grinned, "Alright." Then she looked around and lowered her voice, "Do you think Sirius would mind?"

"Oi Sirius!" Ron shouted.

"Ron!" Hermione and Harry both hissed. Ron shrugged as Sirius reappeared in the room, "Mind if while we redecorate we maybe add a few enhancements to the family portraits?"

"Enhancements?" He enquired with a lifted brow.

"A mute mother for one." Neville spoke up and then blushed.

"Just a few, changes."

"I'd personally burn the lot, my mother especially but since that miserable painting isn't coming down, do whatever you like with it."

"Knew he wouldn't mind." Harry regained everyone's focus. "Come on Mione, please?"

She rolled her eyes; he knew she couldn't really say no to him when he asked so nicely, "Fine." Then she laughed again and added to the designs they were all playing with for renovations at 12 Grimmauld Place. Neither Sirius nor Harry wanted to live there, so they were turning it into an official Head Quarters for the Order of the Phoenix which was now filled with more members, not to fight against a dark force but to fight against the possibility of future dark lords rising. Aurors, Government Officials from various countries, Teachers and Masters of every discipline and representatives of every race were members working to build a unified wizarding world.

The idea had plenty of potential to make changes in the world but they all knew those changes would be long in coming, the focus now was on blood equality but they were looking into werewolf rights and the treatment of squibs, slowly they hoped to unite all the magical world but none of them were naive enough to think most if not all the changes would be fully realized in their life times. At least the momentum of the end of the war was helping somewhat with blood purity issues and the opening of minds enough to allow an organization like the Order of the Phoenix to exist and be welcomed internationally across the wizarding world.

The group didn't begin to actually work in the house until a few weeks after the debate about messing with the Black family portraits. Sirius was shocked to walk in and not find his mothers painting in the hall, the frame was broken and still attached to the wall but the actual painting was gone.

"How?"

"Bloody brilliant she is." Ron came into the room with a grin.

"The frame is still stuck there." Hermione said with a shrug and then turned to Sirius. "I ripped the canvas taking it down, I'm sorry."

"I tried everything to get it off that bloody wall." He mused, "Even tried shredding the damn canvas."

She chuckled, "Sometimes all it takes is a little muggle ingenuity… and industrial paint thinner, a crow bar, some minor spell work and unfortunately ear plugs." She shuddered, "Your mother had some serious lungs on her."

Sirius chuckled, "She had my lungs? I rather think they were more like yours" He gave her a look that made her blush and roll her eyes.

"We're finishing emptying the house, then the proper renovations can begin." She sank into a chair, "It's more work than Mrs. Weasley had us doing that first summer." She sighed, "Who'd have thought we'd really only scratched the surface."

"Lot of rooms not touched even with so many of the order in and out Luv."

"I know." She sighed again and got up, "Let's get on with it then."

"Hermione?"

"Sirius?"

"What is that?"

"Huh?" she turned to look at him, he was pointing to a bracelet she was wearing.

"Harry gave it to me." She said lifting her wrist and swiping her finger against the little gold lion dangling from it. He nodded, distracted, "Come on." She urged them all back to work.

Sirius felt sick. It could be any day now. She was twenty. She'd been two years older than him when they'd met. She was wearing the bracelet.

He was distracted all morning and by the end of the day he was a wreck. He followed her with his eyes all day.

"Padfoot." Remus sat beside him on the couch.

"She's wearing the bracelet." He whispered.

"Could be she had it for months before going." Sirius nodded. "Can't do this to yourself mate."

Sirius turned to his friend, "What if she doesn't come back."

"We have to believe she will."

"What if she hates me when she does?"

Remus shook his head, "She could never hate you Sirius, she tried." He mused with a chuckle then shook his head again, "It will all be ok."

"When did you become an optimist?"

"Dora thinks you two are perfect for each other."

Sirius snorted, "If only she knew."

"If only." Remus said quietly with a nod.

A scream broke the silence and had them both jumping to their feet and charging up the stairs. They burst into a seldom used parlor where Ginny was looking pale and Luna was crying. Theo ran to her and pulled her into his arms.

Sirius felt his heart clench and didn't notice as he dropped to his knees. She was gone. Please Merlin let her come home safely.

Remus grabbed Sirius by the arm and moved him to a chair.

"What happened?" Harry demanded hugging Ginny to him, "Where's Hermione."

"Gone." Ginny told him softly, her voice quiet and her face still pale, she was obviously in shock.

Luna nodded her head still crying, "They grabbed her through the swirling mist and carried her away to the Otherland."

"What?"

"The Limaliak." She sobbed, pointing to a tiny door in the wall, it led to a secret stair up to the attic. Regulus and Sirius had played up there, made it a secret fort of sorts, when they were very young and hiding from their mother.

"She came tumbling down the stairs and disappeared." Ginny's voice was starting to shake with tears, her whole body shaking against Harry.

"She's gone then." Remus sighed and leaned back in the couch beside Sirius. "She'll be back, she has to be back."

Sirius didn't say anything, _Merlin please let her come back_. He begged.

"Gone? Back? What?" Ron sputtered and demanded.

Remus sighed, "She's gone back to before Harry was born."

"What?" Tonks was the one to voice the curiosity.

"She arrived, in our past, lived with us for two years, saved Lily's life and… she was… well she disappeared the night Harry was born."

"So she'll be back then." Ginny insisted though her voice held doubt.

"She disappeared." Sirius repeated Remus.

Remus shook his head, "She'll be back."

Sirius just closed his eyes in pain.

"She'll be back." Remus repeated.

"You were in love with her." Tonks whispered, shocking them all again.

All eyes were on him as Sirius nodded. "I've been in love with her from the first day I met her, when she all but ignored my presence." A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he remembered it but the expression lasted only a moment as his heart squeezed. "Merlin let her come back." He spoke the prayer aloud this time, tilting his head back against the couch.

"What?" Harry was confused; his godfather had been in love with Hermione?

"Sit." Remus sighed, "We'll tell you about Mia. The only woman to tame and conquer Sirius Black."

Sirius felt a smile tug at his lips, "She was infuriating."

Remus chuckled, "She didn't put up with your crap."

"She was immune to my charm."

"She didn't think you had any."

"I thought she was in love with you. It drove me mad."

Remus snorted, "And you complained James was a besotted fool chasing after Lily."

"I finally got her though."

"Or she got you."

His smile fell again, "Merlin let her come back safe."

"Two years. She was gone two years." Remus sighed leaning his head in his hands.

"Time might not work the same going back and forward, she might not be gone so long." Theo spoke up finally, then added very quietly, "She might be gone much longer."

"Please Merlin, let her come back safe." Harry echoed his godfather.

"Tell us about her." Ginny asked moving to a chair, "About her years with you."

Remus nodded and they all settled around the room.

"She was infuriating." Sirius sighed.

"She was the sixth Marauder." Remus said with a smile.

"Sixth?" Neville questioned taking Ron's hand and sitting cross-legged on the floor, their knees slightly over lapping.

"Lily was the fifth, an honorary Marauder, then there was Mia." Remus chuckled, "The two out going flirts of the group the first to fall and both fell fast and hard." His arm tightened around Tonks as Sirius spoke next.

"Marauders fall forever."

"So the Limaliak's didn't take her?" Luna questioned settling in Theo's lap.

"No." Remus shook his head, "Time has."

"Tell us." Ginny asked again, curling her feet on the couch and lying against Harry's chest.

Remus nodded.

"I like stories." Luna sighed.

"What story?" Mrs. Weasley asked coming in the room. "Why aren't you lot finishing? Where's Hermione, I can always count on her to keep you in line."

"Gone." Luna sighed.

"Gone." Ginny echoed, tears finally stinging her eyes as the numbness of shock began to wear off.

"Gone?"

"Molly dear." Mr. Weasley came in, "Sit."

"What?"

"It was her?" Bill questioned setting his daughter on the floor.

"What was who?" His wife asked confused.

"A woman saved me and Charlie from a Death Eater once. Dad swore us never to tell anyone, not even mum."

"Hermione?" Charlie tried to remember but he'd been so young, he just remembered she'd been brave and beautiful and had hugged him.

"Sit." He steered his wife to a chair. "I think its time we all talked. I just need to call Professor McGonagall first."

"Better call George too, he wont want to miss anything." Charlie disappeared. A little later, the room having waited in silence, all lost in their own thoughts, a large group had gathered, all the people who loved her, waiting to hear about the girl they'd been informed was not only missing but lost in time.

"She arrived, a month after graduation, in the Potter yard…" Remus began.


	2. Chapter 2

She screamed as she felt magic crash into her, sending her falling backwards.

_Through time and space and memory, safely hidden in past and future, to end a curse and free the cursed._ Words whispered around her flowing through the magic, she could hear a spell being spoken but not enough to make out what it was, except for the last words, those she knew, _to free from harm both past lives and present futures, obliviate._

She crashed to the ground, hard enough to suck the air out of her lungs.

When she was able to breath she found herself trussed up and staring at a very attractive older man and woman, she had the oddest sense of déjà vu looking at him, "Hello?"

"Who are you?" The man demanded.

"Um," She frowned and then shook her head gently, "I'm… I…Gray…. Or Granger. Yes, its Granger, I'm almost sure."

"Are you alright?" The woman asked gently.

She thought about it a minute, "My mind is very… fuzzy."

"Do you have a first name?"

Harold asked her, still suspicious.

She nodded slowly searching the fog of her mind, "Mya… Mione…Hermione." She sighed, "Hermione Granger and I'm nineteen, no twenty." She smirked at the memory of her twentieth birthday, Ron had gotten drunk and let it out that he didn't care if everyone thought he was off, he just couldn't care enough about hiding that he liked blokes to snog Lavender anymore. Neville'd grinned and then snogged him before blushing madly. The two had spent the whole druken night attached at the hip afterwards… really after they both got over the embarrassment and used to the idea the world didn't care they were gay, they'd been attached at the hip since that night.

"Let's get you to a healer dear." Anna suggested.

Two hours later and she was still at St. Mungos. He mind was still fuzzy, memories of people coming in and out of her mind as they asked her dozens of questions. Finally Professor Dumbledore came.

"Anna and Harold Potter have agreed to keep you until you're well." He informed her after another hour of testing.

She wasn't sure why she felt so sad looking at him, "I studied at Hogwarts." She told him, "I was a Gryffindor."

He nodded, "As your memory comes back, it would be best if you didn't speak with anyone about what you remember."

"I'm out of time aren't I?" Her quick mind was already processing the information and misty memories.

He nodded slowly, "I believe so yes. Can you tell me what year it ought to be for you?"

She shook her head, "I, well, I've turned twenty recently and I was born in… it must be 1999." Dumbledore shook his head, "How far?" She asked quietly.

"Nineteen years."

"Nineteen …" Is that possible?

He nodded, "Clearly."

"Rare?"

"Almost unheard of."

"Almost?"

He nodded, "There was an occasion, in my youth, I came across a man and I learned about a few almost forgotten spells leaving people displaced in time."

"Dark magic." She whispered, biting her lip in fear.

He shook his head, "The spells I know of were protective in nature, magic gone awry, time is not an exact thing and the intent of the spell wasn't always reached."

"Can it be undone?"

Dumbledore's deep blue eyes met hers, _they should sparkle with amusement_ she thought, worried by his seriousness, "Time magic is imprecise."

"Meaning?"

"I will try to find a way to return you, unfortunately now we are in times of war it cannot be my sole endeavor."

"You don't think it's really possible to send me back do you?"

He paused a moment and met her eyes, "No."

She nodded, "You aren't really going to look either are you?"

He held her eyes steady before shaking his head, "I'm sorry. It's to dangerous to meddle with that kind of time."

"I'm here though."

He nodded, "Yes and there is little that can be done about it but sending you haphazardly into time could lead you forward or back further and there is no way to tell how far, in this time and place it is safe to assume you wont be recognized or run into yourself as you are only an infant but are already born so you cannot unmake your own existence."

"What about the people of this time?"

He shook his head, "Whatever you know of this time, whatever you remember, you must say nothing." He regarded her a moment, "An obliviate would be the safest thing."

She paled, "Hasn't my mind been messed with enough? I barely remembered my name arriving here."

He nodded slowly, "For now but there may come a time it is best for you and even a time when you wish for it."

"Why?"

"You must allow this time, this world, to become yours."

"Won't I change things?"

He shook his head, "As long as you do nothing to alter the course of events as though you had no prior knowledge of them, then no, I believe things will follow the course they are meant to, as likely you are already a part of them in whatever future does exist for you." She wasn't sure she understood but nodded anyways. "No one must know of any of this."

"No one?"

He nodded, "Harold and Anna as well as my most trusted friend and colleague, a Professor McGonagall, are the only others who do or can know. You must promise this and to never speak of the future." She nodded. "Should the temptation ever become to much…"

"You'll obliviate my past." She whispered.

He nodded, "I am very sorry, but yes, I will do what is necessary Miss…"

"Granger."

He shook his head, "Grey."

She nodded, "My name will become well known, it's not common."

"Do you have a middle name?"

She nodded, "Jean." She snorted, "I can't be Jean Grey."

"No?" He smiled, his eyes twinkling.

"You know muggle comics?" She guessed.

He nodded, "I've enjoyed learning various muggle things over the years. I very much enjoy the sweets and often the place I purchase them has such picture books."

She smiled but it faltered as the reason for this conversation returned to her, "Mia, Mia Jean Grey." It's what my grandmother called me, before she died.

He nodded, "I've arranged for you to stay with the Potter family while you get settled in this time. You'll be known as a relative of my colleague, Professor McGonagall and should you need someone to talk with, you may seek either of us out."

Hermione nodded, "She was my head of house, my mentor."

He nodded, "Now she is your Aunt."

"My family?"

"Died."

She nodded, "How?"

"Death Eaters."

"Not a lie then." She bit back tears, "Where did I live, or go to school?"

"You lived in a cottage on the shore and were home schooled. You are here to visit your Aunt and to look into an apprentice teaching position I've offered you."

She nodded, "Thank you Professor."

"Is there a particular subject you are fond of or were especially good at?"

She swallowed, "Everything. I loved to learn, always taking more classes than needed." She met his eyes, "I don't think I wrote my NEWT."

He nodded, "I'll have a date arranged for you. It's normal for home schooled witches and wizards to take the examination over the summer."

He left and the Potters came to get her and bring her back to their home. Wandering around she looked at photos, the mist of her mind tugging at her memories as she looked at a photo of their son; did she know him in the future?

Anna led her to a guest room and told her it would be hers and left her to rest, the next day they were to go shopping for new clothes. She'd been given an advance on her salary from Dumbledore and Anna, having never had the daughter she'd hoped for, took the sad lost girl under her wing and set about spoiling her. The Potter vault could more than withstand the assault.

The girl protested but Anna waved her off and Harold was so pleased with his wife's happiness he cornered her and coerced her to accept gracefully.

The week sped by and finally Anna's excitement bubbled over into pure joy as she prepared for her son and future daughter-in-law to visit.

"They've been visiting her family." Anna told Mia cooking up a storm in the kitchen, "My son is also bringing my adoptive son, he's been travelling with a friend of theirs for weeks, James was for the week before joining Lily with her family so he's not been home in two weeks and I've not seen Sirius in three weeks. He's mine at heart, has been for many years. I'm not sure if Remus and Peter are joining them, I think they might be off to spend time with their families but you'll meet them soon as well. The boys never stray far from each other for long. " She chattered excitedly.

"I look forward to meeting them."

"They'll love you and it will be good for you to have others your age, well almost, my sons and almost daughter and their friends are just out of school this year, Sirius is the oldest of the boys, his birthday's in November and James in March."

Hermione listened to her ramble about the boys and their school years, déjà vu pulling at the mist of her mind and giving her a headache so she excused herself to lie down. When she woke up the house was in chaos.

She stood quietly in the door watching the group all talking and laughing, "Mia." Anna finally noticed her, "Come in and meet my sons."

Hermione moved a little into the room, "Hello."

Sirius eyed her from head to toe and back giving a smirk, "Sirius Black."

She nodded in greeting and turned away, "You must be James and Lily."

Lily nodded stepping forward, "It's very nice to meet you."

"You as well."

"This is our friend Remus." She motioned to the third boy.

"I'm Mia."

"I didn't know McGonagall had a niece." He smiled warmly at her, "It's nice to meet you."

Hermione nodded, "She and her sister, my mother, weren't close."

Sirius frowned and moved nearer to her, "It's a shame you weren't at Hogwarts with us."

"I wouldn't have been in your year." She told him again shrugging him off and turning to talk with James, "Did you enjoy your trip?"

He shrugged, "The week with the boys was great fun." Lily blushed and he wrapped an arm around her, "Any time with Lily is the best."

"It was awful." She snapped.

"Lily."

"No." She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes.

"What happened then?" Anna asked gently.

She sniffled, "My sister is engaged."

"That's not good news?" Anna asked gently.

"He's awful. She was awful. Worse than when I went home after graduation and told them I was engaged. He's just awful." Lily turned into James's arms, "I'm so sorry James."

"Shh, it was fine, your mother still likes me."

She chuckled through the tears, "My mother is charmed by you."

"Wish you'd been as easy to charm, we'd have been together ages ago." He teased.

"I'm more like my father."

"He likes me too."

"Only because he knows how much I put you through to get me and he's impressed you stuck around."

James shrugged, "He still likes me, better than that chubby Dursley git too."

She laughed through the tears, "It was still awful."

He shook his head and kissed her temple, "It was fine Luv. Anyways, it's done now, we've just the wedding to get to and then she and her fat friend can get married and pretend that you aren't a witch and I don't exist."

She nodded, "She never used to be so awful."

"It's fine Lily."

She nodded as he kissed her temple again. She blushed when she saw Mia watching them from just inside the door still. "I'm sorry Mia, you don't even know us."

She shook her head, "I'm sorry your visit home didn't go well."

Lily shook her head, "Two weeks and it was awful the whole time and it just got worse after James came, my own sister wont come to my wedding and do you know she actually asked me not to come to hers and said if I must because of our parents I was absolutely not to bring James!"

"Terrible." Mia agreed.

Lily snorted in agreement and then blushed, "I'm sorry. This is terribly rude of us. How are you? Have you settled into the area? Been to London?"

"I'm good and yes I've settled in, the Potters have been wonderful to me and Anna brought me shopping in London."

Lily nodded, her voice soft "I heard you lost everything in the fire. I'm so sorry."

Hermione nodded, "Things can always be replaced."

"Oh, I'm so sorry Mia." Lily exclaimed her hand going to her mouth, "Here I am complaining about my family and…"

Hermione shook her head fighting the sting of tears, "It's ok. I miss them, but it's ok. I've had a year to mourn them."

Lily nodded, "Dumbledore said in the letter to James, you've been living this last year in Northern Scotland?

Hermione nodded, "All I had after the attack was my wand, I needed some time and space to heal, my Aunt was kind enough to offer me her cottage and has since introduced me to Professor Dumbledore who was kind enough to offer me an apprentice teaching position."

"So you've never lived in the city then?" Sirius asked.

"No."

"I'll have to show you around, take you on a night out."

"No thank you." She turned to Remus, "Would you like some chocolate? You look rather worn out."

"Yes." Remus nodded giving her a small smile, "Thank you."

"Do you eat chocolate when you need a boost too?" Lily asked as she followed the other witch to the kitchen.

"No." Hermione frowned, "I'm actually not sure why I offered that."

Lily shrugged and laughed, "Remus loves chocolate, it was the perfect thing to offer him."

They all had tea and a little chocolate while getting to know each other and waiting on the feast Anna had prepared.

"Term started weeks ago, when are you supposed to begin?" Remus inquired as they filled plates.

"October 1st." She told him. "I had to sit my NEWT first."

"You never wrote your NEWT?" James asked filling Lily's plate as well as his own.

"I was home schooled." She told him. "I suppose I should have taken it two years ago but I put it off a year and then my parents died and…" Her voice trailed off, "I guess I just never got to London to write it before."

"How did you do?" Lily asked. "I got Six NEWTS, four Os and two Es. James and Sirius wrote five and got three Os and two Es, Remus is the smartest he wrote six and got all but one O."

"She got all Os." Anna beamed.

"How many?" Remus asked impressed.

"Seven." She answered quietly.

"She got the highest scores of the year in all of them except for Second highest in potions under a Slytherin graduated this year, second highest in charms under Lily but the top in all the other four." Harold beamed at her, proud of the intelligent young witch.

"She never beat Remus in Defense." James protested. "He got highest, then Sirius and me."

Harold chuckled, "Sorry son. Seems the lady beat out all three of you."

"You must be bloody brilliant." Sirius muttered.

She blushed, "I studied hard."

"What was your highest?"

Hermione thought about it, "Transfiguration and Ancient Runes."

The evening passed easily and Hermione found she liked James and Lily even more than she'd hoped, Remus too was quiet and intelligent and easy to relax around, Sirius… she wasn't sure what to think of the charmer but something told her to guard her heart carefully against that smile and his eyes twinkling with to much mischief.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione worked at the school three days a week and while she had a room there she spent the rest of her time helping Lily plan the wedding and quickly grew close with the boys. Something about Peter rubbed her the wrong way when they met but she couldn't put her finger on it any more than she could say exactly why James felt like family. It was Remus she was friendliest with though, he was intelligent and liked to read so they could sit together in silence but they also spent many hours talking, debating various topics, researching or sharing various ideas and thoughts about everything.

Sirius was a flirt.

She didn't not like him, like Peter, he was funny and attractive, just arrogant and proud which often made her want to smack him. Her original impression of him being a mischievous playboy only strengthening each time she saw him so his flirting only reminded her of her resolve not to fall for his charming smile. Mostly she did her best to ignore him. Of course it seemed to make him flirt more, egotistical jerk just couldn't accept that she wouldn't fawn over him like his other fan girls.

"Go do something." She snapped at him.

"I am doing something Luv."

"Somewhere else." She hissed.

"You know as best man I'm supposed to help plan the wedding."

"As best man you do the bachelor party and make sure James shows up sober, put together and on time. That's it."

"You know you don't want me to leave."

"Yes, I do, I'm trying to do this and you're distracting me."

"I'm a distraction am I?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her making her snort.

"An annoyance." She corrected.

"Children." Remus chuckled sitting down next to her.

"He's a prat." Hermione told him.

"Hey! I was just trying to help."

"By charming the decorations to sing drunken sailor songs!"

"They aren't getting married today." He defended.

She rolled her eyes at him, "Can't you just go do something?"

"I am doing something."

"Something else."

"No."

"Why?"

"Remus gets to stay."

"Remus is helping."

"So am I."

Hermione huffed and threw up her hands, "Fine, you finish with Remus, I'm going to check the flowers." She turned to Remus, "Please try to keep him from doing anything that will make Lily upset or me hex him."

"You got it Mia."

Sirius grumbled as he magicked more streamers up.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing."

"Padfoot?"

"You taking her to the wedding?"

Remus shrugged, "Thought we were all going together."

"Don't be a prat Remy!" Sirius growled.

"Seriously Sirius, what is up with you?"

"She hates me." Sirius huffed dropping into a chair. "I try to be funny and she thinks I'm being a prat, I try to be sweet and she brushes me off."

"She's just not like the girls who throw themselves at your feet." Remus contradicted.

"She's infuriating!" Sirius growled.

"You really like her?" Remus asked a little surprised.

Sirius growled, "Do you care?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"She's obviously after you."

Remus snorted, "We're just friends."

"Bet she'd go to the wedding with you if you asked her. Bet she'd even have laughed if _you'd_ charmed the decorations."

"You've gone barmy mate. Besides even if she liked me like that, and she doesn't, we both know I can't, well she wouldn't, we both know I have secrets."

"You can and so what about that, Lily doesn't care."

"Lily is different and she's not dating me."

"Mia's different too and she might."

"Are you trying to convince me to date her?"

"No!" Remus chuckled at Sirius's angry hiss. "Come on Moony, are you saying you don't like her?"

"I like her the same as I like Lily."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I don't think she likes me." Remus shrugged and Sirius grinned, "Lily didn't like James either."

"It took him six years to change that opinion."

"Don't be such a downer Moony, I'm way more charming than James."

"Hey!" James protested joining his friends with Peter.

"What are we talking about?" Peter asked looking from one man to another.

"Sirius is barmy over Mia."

"I am not and I will make her like me."

"Hey mate." James held up a hand, "You know I love you brother but if you hurt her I might have to hex you and Lily definitely will, those two are like sisters these days."

Sirius huffed, "Some friend, you should be helping me, I helped you get Lily."

"I was in love with Lily."

"Well Mia is my Lily."

"Right." All three of his friends rolled their eyes.

"She's just the first girl who shot you down." Remus protested.

"Yeah mate, she doesn't see your charms." Peter agreed.

James just stared at him, "Blimey, you really are barmy for her."

Sirius groaned, "She hates me."

"Wormtail's right." James disagreed.

"I am?"

"She just doesn't see your charms."

"She doesn't think he has any." Remus snorted.

"Watch it mate." Sirius growled at him.

"Have you tried just being her friend?" Remus suggested. "Without hitting on her." He added.

"I made the decorations sing."

Remus rolled his eyes, "Without aggravating her."

"Everything I do aggravates her." he growled. "I'm not you!"

"She likes Remus?" Peter asked confused.

Sirius groaned.

"We're just friends."

"Doesn't mean she doesn't like you." James suggested.

"Great!" Sirius spat. "The woman of my dreams and she wants him." He jerked his finger at Moony. "Couldn't have been one the bints looking for a good time, no it has to be _my_ girl who falls for the one who wont do commitment!"

"Like you do?" Remus shot back.

"I would with her!"

James laughed, "Just give her time to warm up to you, like I did with Lily."

"Six years." Sirius groaned.

"What did it for you mate?" James asked thinking of Lily, hands on hips lecturing him for pranking a student and rolling her eyes at his flirting.

"She ignored him." Remus supplied.

"Shrugged him off too." James laughed. "Man, we really are brothers."

"Yeah, you're both barmy." Peter agreed.

"Well, what's the plan then?" Remus asked.

"Plan?" Sirius's head popped up from where he'd dropped it on the table.

"Six years of planning to get Lily to fall in love with me, something has to work for Mia." James urged.

"Like what?"

James shrugged, "You had more ideas than I did… none of them worked… a few of them got her pissed at me… Merlin I don't know."

"Tell her you like her." Peter suggested.

"Pipe down with the idiot ideas Wormtail, we're thinking." Sirius grumbled.

"It might not be a bad idea." Remus suggested.

"She'll laugh at me."

"She wouldn't. Mia wouldn't hurt your feelings like that."

He rolled his eyes, "She doesn't think I have any. She just won't believe me. I have to make her like me and then I can tell her I love her."

"This is going to end badly."

"Eh." James shrugged. "It worked for me in the end."

"SIX YEARS!" Sirius shouted dropping his head to the table.

"Yeah." James grinned, "But now we have… LILY" he shouted, "to help." He finished.

"Oh no!" Sirius protested. "NO! You aren't telling her! No! No! NO!" He hissed the last no's as Lily came over.

"James?" She questioned slipping into his arms.

"No!" Sirius glared at him.

James just ignored him; "Sirius has it bad for Mia."

"Really?" Lily grinned at him.

"She hates me." He groaned.

"She doesn't hate you." Lily protested.

"Really?"

Lily nodded then hesitated, "I'm not sure she likes you like that." Sirius groaned. "But she doesn't hate you."

"We're trying to make a plan to get her to fall in love with him. How did I finally win you over?"

Lily rolled her eyes, "I think I fell and hit my head."

"You want me to hit her in the head?" Sirius asked all serious.

"NO!" Lily shouted and then laughed. "Just be yourself Sirius, let her see what a good guy you are."

"I tried that." He grumbled. "She likes Moony." He glared at his friend again.

"We're just friends." Moony protested.

Sirius huffed.

"Come on mate." James slung his arm through his almost brothers, "We'll think of something. I'm getting married in three days and everybody loves a wedding, its romantic."

"Right." Sirius nodded.

"Do you think I should sit beside her at the wedding?"

"You're supposed to stand next to me mate."

"Right."

"I'll put her next to you at dinner." Lily offered.

"Really?"

"Sure." She nodded and then kissed James before walking away. _Poor Sirius._ She thought, then snorted and chuckled _Poor Mia._

"What's funny?" Mia asked as she and Alice looked up.

"The boys." She said waving her hand in the direction of the backyard.

Mia rolled her eyes, "Sirius charm the decorations to dance while they sang?"

"No." Lily laughed. "You don't think he'll have them do that during the wedding?"

"During? No but after the ceremony, it's a distinct possibility." Alice chuckled.

"No." Mia disagreed. "Sirius wont pull the same stunt twice, he'll save what he's doing to surprise you and ultimately it will be as sweet as it is ridiculous."

Lily fought a smile, "You think Sirius is sweet?"

Mia rolled her eyes, "He has his moments."

"Not your favorite Marauder?" Alice asked charming another flower into place and putting a stasis charm on it so it would be fresh for the wedding.

Mia shrugged, "I don't have a favorite."

"Really? You and Remus seem awfully chummy." Alice suggested.

"Oh?" Lily knew her voice was a tad high but the other two girls didn't seem to notice as she held her breath.

Mia rolled her eyes, "We're friends. Good friends, that's all. I like James just as well and if he weren't so busy with Auror training and getting ready to marry Lily, I'd spend just as much time with him."

"Sirius isn't planning a wedding."

Mia snorted, "He keeps busy in the knickers of various witches."

Lily frowned, "Sirius Black?"

"Don't tell me you don't know his reputation." Alice looked at her friend in shock.

"I know his reputation and I know only part of it is deserved just like I know he's not been dating anyone since…" She thought about it, "Since before the boys left to travel Europe last August."

"Really?" Alice's eyes bugged. "Do you think he has a secret girlfriend?"

Lily snorted, "Secret from James?"

"Right." Alice nodded. "Still it's a long time, maybe he's fallen for someone and she lives far away."

Lily smiled, "Or she's immune to his charm."

Mia snorted, "No witch is immune to Sirius Black."

"Not even you?"

Mia blushed, "He wouldn't bother with a book worm like me."

Lily rolled her eyes, "He's been flirting with you since the day he met you."

"He flirts with everyone."

"True." Lily murmured.

"Come on." Mia smiled at her, "Let's leave the rest and go get some lunch."

"I'll be right out." Lily told them running back to James.

She was panting as she saw the boys magicking decorations around the yard and goofing off.

"Stop flirting with her." Lily huffed at Sirius.

"What?"

She turned to James, "You were a prat, always drawing attention to yourself to be the center of attention, goofing around and teasing others and I didn't believe you were serious when you kept making grand gestures and asking me out, I was embarrassed and thought you were teasing me. He flirts with _everyone _and he does it _all_ the time so she thinks he's just being a prat." Then she kissed his cheek and turned back to Sirius. "She's not immune to you though and she doesn't hate you, I promise." Then she turned and ran back to the house where the girls were waiting to floo to Diagon Alley.

"Everything ok?" Alice asked as she came wheezing into the room.

"Yeah, just had to tell James."

"We would have waited Lily." Mia laughed at her friend.

"Nope, let's go."

The following three days passed in a blur and finally it was the Potter wedding. The ceremony was moving and the bride and groom both glowed with love.

"Dance with me Mia?" Sirius stood at her elbow his hand out and his expression, serious.

"Sure." She put her hand in his and let him lead her to the floor for the wizarding waltz. He pulled her into his arms and sighed breathing her in and began to dance.

"Is everything alright Sirius?"

He nodded, "Why?"

"You seem," She grinned, "Serious." Then she shrugged, "It's not like you."

"I'm sorry."

"He's still your best friend you know, you aren't losing him." She guessed the reason for his melancholy.

Sirius shook his head, "I'm happy for him, a little jealous of him really."

"Why?"

"I want what he has."

"Lily?"

Sirius shrugged, "The Potters for parents, the woman I love to love me back, friends who would share in whatever adventure my future brought."

"You have that too Sirius. Anna and Harold love you just as much as James and being a Black, its more than just your blood, it's helped make you into the man you are, as hard as it was, you might not have been you if you weren't Sirius Black." She smiled at Remus eating chocolate and flicking ice at Peter, "You also have friends that would follow, no, not follow you, but stand by your side ready to go on every adventure."

"I don't have the woman I love though." He whispered, touched by her words.

"When you meet her, I'm sure she'll love you back."

"I think she might hate me."

"No one can hate you Sirius, I even tried."

He snorted, "You _tried_ to hate me?"

She nodded blushing, "You're incorrigible and charming and dangerously handsome, I wanted to hate you but I can't, you're too… you."

He grinned and she rolled her eyes and pushed away but he held her, "Would you love me back?"

"Sirius." She warned.

He swallowed, "I'm not flirting, I'm not playing and there is nothing funny about this damn conversation. I'm in love with you Mia." He blushed and sighed and pushed away from her running his hands through his hair, "I've never had a woman hate me before, dislike me maybe but only because I deserved it and I could still charm her into forgiving me but you don't even notice me. The first girl I want to notice me and she notices Moony." He growled.

"I told you I don't hate you."

"You wanted to." He argued.

"Falling in love with heart breaker play boy charmer Sirius Black wasn't good for my heart."

"I'm not a play boy." He argued, "Charming and flirtatious but not a play boy and definitely not a heartbreaker. The two girls I've been with knew I didn't love them, the first was a slag anyways and the second, well she was a nice girl but she knew from the start it was just physical, we didn't even date. I've gone on lots of dates but we go out have some laughs and that's it."

"So you're a flirt."

"Yes."

"Well, I'm not a slag and I don't want to be a laugh."

"I want you to be Lily." He growled.

"What?"

"No." He snorted, "I want you to be my Lily. For cripes sake witch I'm trying to tell you I'm besotted with you, I've gone totally barmy since I met you and my heart hurts and I hate that Remus is always the one you go to and well." He threw up his arms, "I'm in love with you ok."

Mia laughed and he spun away but she grabbed his arm, "Don't go." She chuckled. "I've just never seen you so rattled. It's" she giggled, "disarming."

"Disarming?" He questioned, lifting a cool eyebrow and trying to hide what an idiot he felt like.

"Oh Sirius." She stepped into his arms, "Just kiss me already."

She _really_ didn't need to ask him twice.

They pulled apart and she hid in his chest when whistles broke into their heated moment.

"Bugger off and go kiss your wife Potter!" Sirius shouted.

"Not a bad idea?" He shouted back, Mia heard Lily chuckle as James pulled her to him for a lascivious kiss that had the whole reception hooting and hollering.

Sirius tilted her chin up and kissed her again. This time they were broken up by a loud high pitched sound and then a bang. Mia froze for a second and then turned to the sky. Fire works lit up the night.

**ABOUT DAMN TIME PRONGS! **Followed in large red letters then swirled into **GOOD LUCK LADY LILY **Following this the instruments began to play and a Champaign bottle popped the cork while a flower arrangement began tossing petals and the sky filled out with the gold letters reading** CONGRATULATIONS!**

"Excuse me. As best man I have a few words." Sirius spoke up, tucking Mia into his side, the crowd was silent as they turned to him, "First, Prongs, I'm happy for you mate. Don't muck it up." He winked and turned his eyes on Lily. "Lily, after so many years all I can say to my best mate is that he chose well, you were worth the _years_ we had to put up with him moaning after you." People chuckled at that. "You knew marrying a Marauder you'd be getting all four of us, and we all love you, personally I think you might have gone nutters and no one knows it yet" people chuckled again and Sirius continued "but for some strange reason you love him back and accept us as family so all I can do is tell you we love you both and wish you luck."

"James and Lily!" Remus lifted his glass.

Everyone else followed suit calling out "James and Lily." Before taking a sip of Champaign. As if the call had been a cue the flower petals began to twirl as though dancing and the instruments began to play in the center of the dance floor a small glass Stag and Doe statue rested

"Your honeymoon." Remus grinned at them pointing to the delicate glass Lily between the horns of the stag.

"Have fun." Sirius winked.

"What?" Lily looked from one Marauder to the next and turned to her husband who shrugged.

"Sirius?"

"Thank your parents and go."

"Mom, Dad." James hugged them and then Lily did before quickly hugging her own parents. The portkey was put in their hands and Sirius grinned as the flowers stopped dancing and the song ended right as the portkey activated.

"Such a showoff." Mia rolled her eyes at him.

"Too much?"

"No." She sighed, "Sweet and surprising like I knew your plan would be."

He lifted an eyebrow in surprise "knew it huh?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

He leaned down and kissed her again.

Hermione shifted closer to him, wrapping herself in his warmth and kissed him back, no matter how many times she'd tried to convince herself his charm didn't affect her, how hard she'd tried to dislike him, how many times she told herself he was a charming playboy and would break her heart, she'd fallen more and more for him since that first inviting and devilishly sexy smile he'd given her when the Potter's had introduced them. He was a flirt but he was also brilliant and loyal and funny and warm and, she sighed into his mouth, a really really really amazing kisser.


	4. Chapter 4

It was after Lily announced she was pregnant that Sirius asked Mia to marry him.

She'd stared at him a long time trying to decide if he was serious, when she saw the fear in his eyes she knew he was and she agreed to marry him. Then she went to Dumbledore.

"You have to let me tell the truth." She whispered.

"Why now?"

"I can't lie to him."

Dumbledore nodded sadly, "Do you remember anything?"

She shrugged, "Some, not enough." She bit her lip, "I think I knew them. I think bad things are going to happen and I want to remember so I can stop them but I can't can I?"

He sighed and shook his head, "No, you can't."

"I wont be able not to."

He nodded and gave her a sad smile, "I know."

"You've already done it haven't you?"

"When I had to."

"After I saved those children in Diagon Alley?"

He nodded, "Yes."

"Did I know them?"

"It seems that way."

"Do they suspect?"

"Yes." He confirmed, "Arthur is a good friend though and a trustworthy man, he can keep this secret."

"Why didn't you take it all?"

"I didn't want to hurt you."

"Is something bad going to happen to Sirius?"

"I don't know Mia. I don't know the future."

"Please."

"There are whispers. It's a dangerous time."

Hermione nodded, "What if I can save them?"

"If they die, they are meant to."

She shook her head no as tears blurred her eyes, "Please. Let me…"

Her voice trailed off as his lips whispered the spell… "Obliviate." He forced a smile, the concern radiating off him he hoped he hid the sorrow well enough. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" She frowned at him.

He nodded, "I'll call Poppy and have her look you over Miss Grey."

"I'm alright."

He nodded, "Please."

While Poppy was looking her over he sent a patronis to Sirius.

"Where is she?" He ran through the castle and burst into the hospital wing, James, Lily and Remus at his heals.

"Here." Mia appeared from behind a curtain looking pale.

"Are you alright?" He demanded pulling her into his arms.

"She was hit with a pretty nasty spell but is just fine." Dumbledore assured them. "Poppy was just checking there were going to be no lasting effects."

"What kind of a spell?" Sirius growled.

"A mix actually, I'm still trying to work out which ones the students were using that hit her but I assure you it was an accident and she will be fine."

Sirius nodded and pulled the witch into his arms, "I'm taking her home for the weekend." It was only Thursday but no one argued. No one even mentioned that the castle was her home as the wizard bundled her into his arms and flooed her to his flat.

There were no lasting effects that he could see of the spell and so he was surprised when Dumbledore called him, Mia, James and Lily into his office a few days later.

It wasn't about her at all. The Potters had been killed.

Lily and Mia did what they could to comfort the distraught men, officially the Potters died of Dragon Pox, in reality a Death Eater attack had claimed their lives.

Lily grew round with her child and life went on. It was a painful loss but it drew the tight group together further. Peter often seemed on the outside, it didn't bother Mia, she hadn't liked him from the start but the idea that Remus might feel left out of the bond the four of them shared made her sad so Mia made a point of spending time with him to kee their friendship strong and encouraged Sirius when the group of mauraders had 'men's nights' which often led to her and Lily having 'girls night' which was more often than not pranked or otherwise marked in someway by the others. Like when she and Lily spiked their firewhiskey so the boys sang all night like they were in a musicale and when the boys magicked the furniture to let out a suspect sound followed by a slight skunk stench whenever either girl sat down or shifted position.

The days and weeks passed while Mia planned her wedding to Sirius and the group helped prepare for the arrival of baby Harry. Life couldn't get better, not to Sirius Black. Until the night Harry was born and his life fell apart. One of the happiest times in his life, in his best friend's life and it would be the day his heart was ripped from his chest and the beginning of hell reigning his world.

"Where's Mia?" He shouted running through the house.

"Check the school!" Remus shouted back.

"Hurry!" James urged.

"AHHHH!" Lily screamed, clutching her belly.

"HURRY!" James shouted.

Harry James Potter was born a few hours later. Sirius held him in his arms and kissed his forehead and then when Lily was sleeping, he resumed his search for the woman he was supposed to marry in two weeks time.

He didn't find her. A search went up but the witch had disappeared.

"James?" Sirius's voice was cracked and broken as he begged his best friend, his brother to give him something, any tiny shred of news, of hope and prayed and pleaded with his eyes for him not to say the words he feared, ones that would strip him of hope and joy and laughter, the words that even just the idea of shredded his heart and shattered his soul.

"I'm so sorry mate." James comforted him, his own grief clear across his face, stabbing into Sirius like a pain nothing but the cruciatus could mimic.

"Have you…" He couldn't finish the question and luckily James shook his head.

"They swore me to secrecy, even from you." James's grief was overshadowed by pain and pleading.

"What?"

"I wanted to tell you but they insisted it was dangerous for her for even one more person, no matter how much he was trusted. I shouldn't have known but she'd remembered something and then Dumbledore had to obliviate her."

"Dumbledore what!" He jumped from his seat, anger overwhelming him, his Mia was missing and his best friend knew something about it, had hidden it and whatever it was, he'd let some old bat assault her head, it didn't matter he respected and trusted that man, no one manipulating his Mia with that kind of curse diserved respect or forgiveness. How could James have allowed it? Kept it secret?

"James?" Remus growled, clearly feeling the same about the statement as the distraught Sirius.

"She was from the future." James sighed and told them everything, about the strange young woman who'd dropped into his parent's backyard with a fuzzy memory and a birth date of a few weeks prior.

Sirius lunged for him and the wizards fought.

"You knew!" He spat. "Where is she?" Remus tried to keep him off of James while James tried to explain.

"I don't know mate!" James defended. "I told you, I wasn't supposed to know she was from the future, I only found out because she called me Harry and then paused and said…

_"Oh, you're not Harry."_ _She told gently. "No." James chuckled._ _She frowned, "Harry's your son." Then she sighed, "I miss him." _

Then she started to cry and her words through the sobs confused the crap out of him. That's when his parents came, when they called Dumbledore and he watched the young woman's memory washed. He'd been afraid his would be too but his mother had explained it all to him and begged him to watch over the girl, to keep her safe by keeping her secret and making sure if ever anything like that happened again, he kept others from seeing or hearing, no one, not even Sirius or Lily were to ever know.

"She's my wife!" Sirius spat at him, the actual date of the wedding being in the future meant little him, he loved her, they were going to be married, she was his wife. She was the air he breathed, the light of the sun, stars and moon, she was his very life and she was gone.

Sirius disappeared for weeks, searching for her and when he came back he never mentioned the fight with James. He never spoke about Mia and though there was a haunted look deep in his eyes, he never mentioned the past at all, as though the last years had never been. Only in his nightmares, when he screamed her name, did Remus, James or Lily hear him say anything about her, did they know he hadn't obliviated away the memory of the witch he loved with every corner of his being. The screams of her name and the broken look in his eyes that said he didn't forget and would never get over her.


	5. Chapter 5

"So she just… disappeared?" Ginny sniffled.

Sirius nodded, unable to speak as the memories of her smile clouded his mind.

"She saved my boys." Mrs. Weasley gazed at Bill and Charlie with wonder and fear.

"She didn't remember them being gone in the future, she didn't recognize us until after and then she was looking at the boys and then me and something in her mind became clear and well, she was talking about us like she knew us and about children we didn't have and how much she missed us, missed you and how young the boys were and then she seemed to remember herself and said she needed to find Dumbledore right away and then sort of wobbled, she said she had a headache and was a bit dizzy. I took her myself to see him, that's when he told me and I promised me and the boys would never say a word." Arthur explained.

"She couldn't have changed anything Harry." Remus spoke softly. "Even if she'd remembered it all, changing it, any of it would have meant risking the future, risking Voldemort winning."

"I know." He nodded.

"She loved them, your parents, they loved her too."

He nodded again and then looked up, "You really don't know if she's ok?"

Remus shook his head sadly. "She just… disappeared."

"Merlin let her be ok." Sirius whispered a tear escaping his closed eyes.

"You really love her." Fleur whispered softly.

"More than any of you can imagine." Remus confirmed clutching his friend's hand. "It's why I believed…" He felt Sirius squeeze his hand.

"I forgave him."

"He didn't forgive himself." Remus said sadly.

"He had no choice."

"He wasn't so sure, I know those weeks you were gone he was angry with himself and with his parents, he knew you deserved to be trusted, to know."

"I'd have wanted to know the future and I'd have tried to change it."

"She knew bad things happened and wanted to change it as well. She went to him and asked to tell you. She didn't remember what it was but wanted to. He had to obliviate her again. He told me about it when I was teaching at Hogwarts, she was always one of his regrets and we'd watch her together, this brilliant little third year and remember the woman she would become."

"I hate him for it."

"He hated himself for it."

"I forgave him too."

"I know."

"I asked him if maybe he sent her away." Sirius admitted, "The year before he died. That summer she was at Grimmauld. She was starting to grow into the woman I remembered and I thought, maybe he knew and hid it."

McGonagall shook her head, "He didn't."

"I know."

"So she just, disappeared?" Theo asked again. All three of them nodded.

"I woke up with her in my arms." Sirius whispered. "She laughed at me and kissed me, rolling her eyes at whatever dumb thing I'd said and then left to go to the bookstore."

"She'll be back." Ron sounded so sure they all turned to him.

"This is Mione, she'll figure it all out without people messing with her brain and then she'll find a way to come home or the spell that sent her ended and she'll land in a heap at the bottom of those stairs."

That reminded them she'd been going up them and they all jumped up. Running upstairs Sirius found the little room was the same fort he and his brother had made except it looked like Regulus had brought up some old books.

Remus flicked through them, "Regulus could read old Wizarding Latin?"

Sirius shrugged, "What are they?"

Remus shrugged, "Old manuscipts and a journal." He flicked through it and found a photo of a very young Regulus and Sirius. He handed it to the man who slipped it in his back pocket. They all trekked back down the steps.

"She'll be back." Neville repeated his boyfriend's words.

"We just have to wait."

"Probably two years." Ron agreed.

"Time isn't…"

"Shut up Theo!" Ron shouted. "She'll be back!"

Theo nodded, "Maybe before two years."

"Maybe not here!" Ginny jumped up and turned to Harry, "She appeared in your grandparents yard Harry!" They hurried off but the yard was empty. A search went up but as the hours ticked past and any place they thought to look for her turned up nothing they sadly went back to Grimmauld Place to wait. Whenever hope wavered they reminded themselves and each other, she was Hermione Granger, she'd find a way back them.

All of them hoped but as each day passed into another week and another week into another month hope began to fade. On the second anniversary of the day she disappeared they all sat, breath held staring at the stairs, willing her to tumble down them. They searched again at the old Potter place, Hogwarts, the apartment she'd once shared with Sirius, the house she grew up in, the Burrow but there was no trace of her.

Long after the sun had set and darkness bathed the room, long after the others left, Sirius stared at the steps.

"Sirius?" A voice had him jumping in shock.

"Reg?" He questioned, "Shit." He ran a hand through his hair, "I've gone mad. Or are you a ghost?"

Regulus patted his chest, "Solid."

"You're dead."

"No." Regulus shook his head, "Trapped though, or I was, I don't know, maybe I'm free now. The spell was supposed to send me to you in a safe time and place. Is it safe? I meant to kill him but they came after me. I know how though Sirius, you have to… wait why aren't you trying to kill me?"

Sirius shook his head, "You're dead."

"I'm not dead."

"You betrayed Voldemort and he killed you."

Regulus shook his head, "No, I mean yes I betrayed him but when they came for me I went out the window and then snuck around to our old fort and hid. I worked the spell to bring me to you and got it a little mucked up and have been lost and stuck but I'm here now."

Sirius shook his head, "You aren't dead?"

"No."

"You did a spell?"

"Yes."

"In our fort?"

"Yes."

"To move time and space?"

"Yes."

"To come to me?"

"Yes."

"Shit." He cursed, "I have to find Remus."

"Sirius?"

"He's dead Reg. He's dead and the war is over and you sent the woman I love back in time where I fell in love with her and now she's been missing for twenty years or two years or I don't know but damn it!" He hugged his little brother who hugged him back and even as he held him he felt his brothers body becoming less solid.

"Sirius." Regulus tried to hold his brother tighter.

"Reg. NO!" His brother disappeared.

For the next year he wasn't sure if the night had been a dream or not but he poured over the books and journal, he had to find the spell and get them back. It was his only hope, the only shred of light in his soul; he had to get them back.


	6. Chapter 6

"Regulus?"

"Here." He called.

She sighed, "When do you think our lives will be ours?"

"I don't know." He hugged her to him. "I'm so sorry Mia."

"It's not your fault. Do you think we know we're out here?"

He nodded, "I know we do."

She heard her own laugh and watched as Sirius lifted her into his arms and kissed her soundly.

Regulus hooted at them and Gabrielle hit him on the back of the head. The Slytherin spun and grabbed her up, tossing her over his shoulder and putting a pat on her bottom. She squealed and hit his back until he set her on her feet and pulled her into his arms for a kiss. Sirius whistled at them and Hermione smacked the back of his head making everyone laugh.

"Oi you lot, come on, family photo!" George shouted pulling out a camera, "First year at Hogwarts for the newest Gryffindors!"

"My son's going to be a Slytheryn!" Theo shouted.

"They'll be what they're supposed to be and you lot will be happy for them." The beautiful Hufflepuff wrapped around Charlie insisted.

"I'm going to be a Gryffindor!" Little James insisted.

"I'm going to be a Ravenclaw!" A tiny female insisted.

"We're going to be Slytherins like dad!" Her twin insisted sending her a playful glare. She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed poking her in the side.

"Alright!" George shouted again, "Family photo!"

The large group of 'family' got together and posed.

Mia leaned her head against Regulus's shoulder.

"We should go." He whispered kissing her temple.

She nodded, "Can't be discovered."

"Nope." He agreed. "We definitely don't want to muck up this future."

"We just have to figure out how to get back to our pasts."

He nodded in agreement and held her tightly as he appartated them away.

Time passed and every time they felt hope of getting home waning they spied on their future selves again, seeing them happy. It was three years before he felt himself fading.

"Mia!"

"Reg!" She called coming in from the garden. "NO!" She ran to him, "Please don't leave me Reg!"

"I'll see you soon." He promised, "Check our futures!" He had time to grasp her hand before disappearing.

"Reg!" A voice shouted and then people were on him. He looked around and found himself at the house he'd spied on.

"Sirius!" He jumped up and grabbed his brother who hugged him just as tight.

"Don't disappear Reg!" His brother ordered.

Regulus shook his head, "Year, what year is it?"

"2002." A voice he knew belonged to Bill Weasley told him.

Regulus hugged his brother tightly, "She'll be back soon."

"Reg?"

"Mia."

"You know Mia?" Remus demanded.

He nodded, "We were in the future together."

"When, when does she come back?" Harry demanded.

Regulus shook his head, "We're home, home for good, with families, in 2012."

"2012?" Ginny bit back tears.

Regulus nodded and turned to his brothers pale face, "With families Sirius, not just returned. Gabrielle and I celebrated our seventh anniversary while we were there, Mia and I watch from outside and then we saw James Potter celebrating the end of summer before his first year at Hogwarts."

"Gabrielle?" Bill frowned.

Regulus nodded, "My wife. She's beautiful, long blond hair, stunning smile, her laugh, it's worth anything to get that future and hear her laugh."

"Seven years, that's two years from now you marry her."

He nodded, "Soon Sirius. We'll be back soon."

"How long were you with her? In that time?"

"About nineteen months, I went there after I saw you."

"Before that?"

"The future, always the future."

"Am I with her?"

"Yes."

"Always?"

"Yes."

Sirius dropped to his knees, "Thank you."

Regulus stayed for the birth of Ginny's second son it was only a few months though and then he disappeared.

Somehow they got back, somehow they had a future with this amazing family but they hadn't yet figured out how. Maybe they were wrong maybe they would only get moments, a few months or a year and then be lost again only to return. He hoped not. He didn't want to do that to his brother, or to the beautiful woman he would marry but mostly he didn't want to do it the lovely, brave, strong and brilliant witch who'd become closer than a sister to him. The woman he'd accidentally cursed with himself. Whenever he blamed himself she'd get angry though and remind him that she'd never have had Sirius without him so he reminded himself, no matter how bad the consequences were, that spell had saved his life and given him the chance to make things right with his brother, it had given him a sister in Hermione and it had given Sirius and Hermione each other to love.

Somehow, they'd see that future, have that family, somehow they'd both get home, and stay there. Regulus had to believe that. They all did.

It would be soon. Regulus reminded himself. Mia and Sirius would have to be reunited soon if they were getting that future he'd watched and coveted. They'd conceive in only a few weeks and round with child she'd call him home, he remembered seeing it once, so long ago, before he'd met her, when she'd stepped into the woods and called to him and an older version of him had come out of the woods near and embraced her, a version that looked to be close to his current age. Soon, it would be soon for now though he was back in the future and watching Hermione lying across Sirius's chest reading while he flicked his wand so bits of leaves attacked Regulus's future self as he played chess with Remus.

Back in present day, it was Sirius Black's forty third birthday and he was celebrating the same way he had since he'd first lost her, except those years in Azkaban of course. He was drinking whiskey and staring at a fire when she walked in. As though she hadn't been missing for so many years.

He was sure he was hallucinating until she climbed into his lap and kissed him.

He made love to her in front of the fireplace and she traced her fingers along his chest, "What year is it?"

"2002, almost three."

She nodded, "Did you see Regulus?"

He nodded, "He disappeared again in September."

She nodded, "He'll be back soon."

"How do you know?"

"We've seen the future." She sighed, "Pieces of it."

He sighed and held her tightly, "Don't disappear again."

"Do you still love me?"

"Forever."

"I could have saved them." She choked on a sob and he rolled so he was on top of her and forced her to look into his eyes.

He shook his head, "You couldn't have."

"Thirteen years." She rested her delicate palm over the tattoos on his chest, marks from Azkaban.

"You couldn't have changed it. The risk would have been to high."

"I loved them." She sobbed.

"They loved you too."

"Harry and Ron? Everyone?"

"All happy and healthy and waiting for you to return." She nodded, "Are you?"

"What?"

"Back."

"Yes." She sighed.

"Forever?"

"I don't know." She snuggled into him biting back tears, "We can't stop it, nothing we do keeps us in one place. Reg thinks its somehow tied to you, if we can make you happy and ok then we can stay, that was the spell to bring him to you in a time and place you were safe, not just safe from Voldemort but safe and maybe happy. Or maybe if something upsets that we'll always disappear and appear in moments of your life you aren't in danger. We don't know. We just know the spekk is based around you and that's where we always are, near you and soon that will even be with you."

"We're together though? You and me and Reg?"

"As far into the future as Reg has been." She confirms kissing him again.

"How far?"

"2013."

"Why no further?"

She shrugged, "I went back to the day he started the spell but never before and he went forward to 2013 but never before I disappeared or later than then. We don't know why. We don't really know anything except that we're always near you or if we can be, with you."

"The future is happy?"

"Yes."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Do you know when he comes back?"

She nodded, "Soon."

"When?"

"He left before me but he told me I was back with you before him, I'm not sure where he is now."

"How many years has it been, for you?"

"Nine years." She whispered. His arms tightened around her. "Two I got with you."

"The other seven?"

She shrugged, "Some with Reg, some alone, always I'm near you."

"Why didn't you come to me?"

"You were in Azkaban." Tears burned her eyes. "I stayed near Remus and watched the prison from shore, wishing I could free you. I checked on Harry a couple times too." She shrugged, "In the future, I'm always with you so I couldn't go to you."

"You're here now. I wont ever let you go again."

She nodded, "Happy birthday Sirius."

"I'm an old man." He sighed.

"I'm not as young as I ought to be for the year I was born, really I'm in my thirties now."

"Young and sexy still." He assured her kissing her hard.

She lay on top of him later, tracing his tattoos. "I think we conceived our daughter tonight." She whispered.

He stilled, "Daughter?"

She nodded, "We have three children, our first is a girl."

"Do we have a son?"

She nodded, "Two. Harry James and Remus Regulus."

"Our daughter?" He whispers, his hand moving to her tummy.

"Molly Rose"

He nods and then hugs her tightly. "Regulus is alive too."

"I know." She hugs him to her. "I wish James and Lily were too and Fred." Tears stung her eyes, "So many others." She sniffled, "I couldn't save them. I wanted to. I wanted so badly to do something. To make things better but I was so afraid to make them worse, so afraid to lose that future Regulus saw, that I eventually got to see."

"I know." He hugged her tightly to him. "We should let the others know you're back.

"Tomorrow." She whispers hugging him. "It's been seven years Sirius."

"I've been waiting more than two decades." He agreed.

"Sirius." He caught her sob with a kiss.

In the morning they went around to everyone and seven month later, very round with her child she walked into the woods with a smile, "Reg?"

"Here." He called softly stepping out of the thick forest.

She held out her hand hearing her husband shouting for her. He never liked her to be far and when she walked through the woods holding his brothers hand, Sirius smiled like it was Christmas and ran to his wife and brother.

For a while they were all afraid she and Regulus might disappear again but there was nothing they seemed able to do to stop it. The trips were short, Hermione sobbed outside Azkaban and spied on her husband while he hid after escaping, she might have interfered, a little, in fifth year when there was the attack on the ministry, stopping him from going after Harry there. He wasn't supposed to be there, she remembered he wasn't but as she watched him enter the building she became very afraid and hit him with a spell to knock him out so he didn't make it to the battle. Regulus admitted to Hermione he might have done something similar to Tonks, when the pregnant witch had a near fatal accident and he used a spell to stop the blood slow until Remus got there, she was after all present in the future as was the baby, or so he defended himself to Hermione with a warm smile for the clumsy witch tripping in after her son.

The trips lasted only a few days or weeks and were broken up by month or years. Until 2013. They all feared what would happen once they reached the furthest point in their future Regulus had visited. That year the last of their Death Eater family died in Azkaban but other than that brief bit of news nothing note worthy happened and they rang in 2014 with joy and relief.

There was still some worry but years passed the fear dimmed. Sirius was happy and his happiness, the strength of his love and protective nature of the two people he loved more than life itself, seemed to hold them to this time and place, hold them to Sirius and the family they'd spied on and dreamed about.

Regulus imagined the death of his last family member left the future safe for this new generation of the Black family. Safe. That's what he'd wanted to be with Sirius in a safe time and place because Sirius was his big brother and no matter what life put between them, he'd always known he'd be safe with his brother there to take care of him. Now he was safe, they were all safe, him and Sirius, their wives and children.

Hermione and Regulus had finally arrived at a time and place safe for them and to the man who held their past and future, to Sirius Black.


End file.
